The B's hoped to have #6's and 53 back on the ice this morning in Wilmington.

3:14 p.m.Shawn Thornton agreed with his head coach when he explained that the time between games was a mixed bag for the players.

"What we’re used to is...having games stacked in there and it is kind of a little different to have a break in the schedule," he said to bostonbruinsTV. "I don’t prefer it, but it’s nice too because guys can get a little bit of a rest.

"So I mean it’s good and bad."

The schedule for the Bruins is strange in that they played Toronto on Saturday, have four days off, and then play the Leafs again on Thursday -- all after the Buds have played twice more.

"Yeah, it is a little different, but we just got to approach it the same way as we did last game," said the veteran beat cop. "They’re obviously going to be ready and they’ve been playing a couple games in between so...they’re going to be prepared.

"We've just got to make sure we’re not sleeping when Thursday rolls around."

And, having been through a quick turnaround of their own, the Bruins know better than to be asleep at the switch.

"They’re going to be better," he said. "I think we all understand that.

"And I think every guy in the room knows that they’re going to come out harder and it’s going to be a different so we got to have the same effort.

"But it’s going to be a lot tougher."

12:20 p.m.Coach Julien just told the media that Derek Morris will be on the ice tomorrow and there is a chance Wideman will practice with the team on Wednesday as well.

12:04 p.m.The general session is over and the Bruins are in the locker room.

We did not see Derek Morris today, but there is good news in the fact Dennis Wideman is on the ice with strength and conditioning coach John Whitesides.

11:02 a.m.The Bruins have set up obstacles in front of one of the nets and are taking turns tipping pucks over them and into the goal. Picking up rebounds and shooting from low in the slot.

A fun drill to watch and the guys seem to be having fun running through the exercise.

10:50 a.m.Lots of fun surrounding the near daily shootout drill.

Mark Recchi and Tuukka Rask had a laugh after one of the young goalie's saves on the vet.

"You weren't falling for that, were ya?" yelled Recchi to Rask with a big smile.

Tuukka smiled back -- no doubt widely.

10:33 a.m.
Wideman and Morris are not on the ice as practice begins here at 10:30 a.m...

10:15 a.m.
Before the media left practice on Monday, they Boston Bruins head coach Claude Julien was asked to give a more specific update on Dennis Wideman.

Julien had already acknowledged Derek Morris and Wideman's absence from practice and, as he often does, called the reason for their missing the session, "maintenance.'

"No, there’s no updates there," said Julien of . "We don’t play until Thursday, so...if you are going to ask me, 'Is he in?', I think so "But...I’m not going to stand here and say for sure."

Like many injuries during the NHL season, the words of the day are "day-to-day."

"It’s a day-to-day situation with him," said Julien, who added, "It’s maintenance and we are hoping that everything goes well enough that there’s no issue by the time that Thursday comes around."

With Morris and Wideman missing, the play of Matt Hunwick jumps quickly to the fore.

Julien was asked if the young defender knew what he had to do to break back into the lineup after being a "coach's decision" on Saturday night.

"He’s had to battle for a spot last year and i thought he did a good job of that," said the B's head coach. "Again, he’s going to have to keep battling to keep his spot this year. He had it and you know he earned it based on his play last year and right now he struggled a little bit.

"Right now Johnny Boychuk deserves an opportunity, so maybe it's not as much pulling Hunwick out as it is giving John an opportunity and at the same time, creating a little bit of competition there."

Julien made it clear that Hunwick understands that he can be better and that he knows Matt can bounce back.

"We know that Matt Hunwick can be a better player than what he has showed so far," said Julien. "That’s the bottom line and that’s not about him not wanting to be [a good player], but it’s about him finding his range and his game [so] that he is the player that we all know he can be."